The Portland daily press., 1887-08-24
RANcELEY POISONING CASE.
The Parties Under Bonds and Frank
lin County Excited.
What the Parties Interested Tell
About the Case.
Prevalent Opinion that the Charges
are Malicious Inventions.

FARMINeToN, August 23-The attempted
poisoning case in Rangely is the great topic
Of conversation inNorthernFranklin county.
Yesterday Locklin and Mrs. Dunham came
to Phillips, bringing Searles with them, and
after turning the latter over to the officer,
they returned to Rangeley, and Durham was
arrested and brought to Phillips. The story,
as near as it can be learned, is substantially
as follows:
j. Wesley Dunham Of Rangeley, who is
charged with hiring Searles to do the poison
ing, mas not lived with his wife for some
time, she making her home with Elijah
Locklin. Last July Dunham had Locklin
arrested and brought before the TrialJustice
at Phillips, charged with criminal rela-
tions with Mrs. Dunham. At the hearing
many witnesses testified, although only one
expressed positive knowledge of the guilt of
the parties, and his testimony was disputed
in every particular by the respondent. The
justice found probable cause and held the
parties for the September court, bail being
given in 5000. Since this hearing, Mrs,
Dunham has continued living with Locklin.
Last Sunday the two returned to their house
from the field and found Searles there, but
nothing was thought of it as he is brother
Of the woman and had been back and forth
previously. Searles is about II years old and
somewhat feeble-minded. While Mrs. Dun
ham was preparing dinner, she noticed a
green powder scattered over some apple
sauce cooking on the stove. which excited
her suspicion that something was wrong.
On examination she found quite a quantity
of the powder in the teapot and in dish of
beans. Finally some was noticed on Searles'
coat sleeve and he was accused of attempt
ing to poison the family
After considerable questioning he con-
fessed. but said he had been hired by Mr..
give him So for doing the job.
Searles says that last Wednesday, Dun
ham met him and made him the offer, and as
three dollars seemed big sum to him, he
accepted it. Then Dumham, he says, went
to Luther Niles's house and stole the Paris
green and handed him package containing
about half pound, which he hid until Sun
day morning, when the poison was disposed
OF as above stated. 1t is said that Locklin
employs quite number of hands on his
farm and had not Searles been so awkward
IN disposlng OF the poison, quite a loss of
life must have followed, for enough was put
IN the various receptacles in Locklin's house
to have killed dozen families.
On the other side of the matter, it is re-
ported In Philips that the whole thing is a
put up job of Locklin, Mrs Dunham and
Searles to get Dunham out of the way so he
cannot appear against them before the
grand jury. So far as can be learned the
parties in the affair are not the first people
OF that section of the county.
Dunham was arraigned this afternoon be-
fore Trial Justice ]. w. Butterfield, in Phil
lips, on charge of attempting to poison the
Paris green. On account of the interest in
the case. the hearing was held in Lambert
Hall. About 200 people were present. b.
Emery Pratt appeared for the defendant and
Prince A. Sawyer for the complainant.
Locklin and the two men in his employ tes-
titled to finding the poison in the food at the
formers house, as was previously stat
ed. They also repeated the story told them
by Searles. Searles also reiterated the story
he previously told that Dunham had hired
him to poison the whole gang, promising
him So if he succeeded. Dunham is a mid
dle-aged man, of medium size and looks like
a hard working man. He gave testimony in
his own defence in Straightforward NAH
MED point-blank any knowledge of the whole
affair. He had hired no man to do any poi
soning, neither had he had any paris green
in his possession at any time, for any such
purpose The Justice, showever, held Dun
ham in $500 for his appearance before the
grand jury in September. Bail was prompt
ly furnished. Luther Niles, at whese house
it was said Durham stole the poison, becom-
ing his surety. Searles was also held in the
same amount, and being unable to obtain
bondsmen. Sheriff Toothaker will take him
to Auburn Jail tomorrow. Locklin and his
two hired men were held in $500 bonds each,
which they furnished. to appear as wit
nesses. Mrs. Dunham staid at the Barden
House during the trial. where she excited
considerable curiosity.
After hearing Dunham's testimony the
public feeling underwent a great change,
and many now assert that the woman is at
the bottom of the whole thing, and that it is
deep laid plot to get Dunham out of the
way. Dunham, as some prominent
citizens of Phillips say, could just as easily
have procured $50, 900 bonds, if necessary, as
he did the amount required by the justice
The scene of the alleged poisoning is in the
house on farm owned by the Locklin
brothers, located near the Mountain View
House, Rangeley, and run by Elijah. the un-
married brother. Mrs. Dunham has been
his h0usekeeper for some time in spite of the
objections of her husband.